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Thursday, December 27, 2012

This is the 1/35th scale AFV Club Sd.Kfz.251/20 Ausf. D "Uhu" by Gary Boggs. The kit is built with the addition of the Blast Models update set which contains resin updates mainly to the generator. The "Uhu" was produced with a large 60cm infra-red searchlight and was designed for night fighting with other IR equipped vehicles (Panther G and others).

The kit was airbrushed freehand with Tamiya acrylics and weathered with various oils and pigments.

Friday, November 30, 2012

This is the 1/35th scale Tamiya Japanese Shinhoto Chi-Ha Type 97 (Late) with Fruil tracks, built by Gary Boggs. The dark yellow base coat was airbrushed, then the camouflage was hand painted with a brush (Series 7) and Vallejo acrylics. The model was finished using assorted washes, oils, and pigments.

The Type 97 (Late) was equipped with a high velocity 47mm main gun and two 7.7mm machine guns. It is generally considered to be the best medium tank produced by Japan in WW II.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

DRMM is honored by the oppourtunity to present 'Knock and Talk', 10th Mountain Division, Afghanistan by Steve Zuleski.

The 120mm scene is set using figures by Deyun, with some tweaks and modifications. They are painted mostly with Windsor oils and Tamiya XF-60 acrylic as a flesh tone base. The vignette and base are 100% scratch-built.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Sd.Kfz.186 Jagdtiger 3./Schwere Abteilung 653 - "Eine Fliege in Meinem Kaffee" ("A Fly in My Coffee") - March, 1945 - Two 3./Schwere Abteilung 653 Jagdtigers were abandoned on Landauer Strasse in Neustadt an
der Weinstrasse. Jagdtiger 331 was left in the middle of the street,
while Jagdtiger 323 was parked in a courtyard opposite. Both vehicles
had been abandoned due to damage to their final drives, probably as a
result of a battle in Neustadt on March 22.

Jagdtiger 331 was captured, inspected, then famously shipped to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for study, trials, and eventually public display.

This is the Dragon 1/35 kit (#6285 - Review Here) with Eduard Photoetch, an Eduard correct length metal barrel, Fruil tracks, Tamiya motorcycle, Verlinden cobblestone street, lamp and sidewalk, and a mix of Verlinden and Warriors figures. It was built to model the less infamous of the two Jagdtigers found in Neustadt an
der Weinstrasse, #323 which was abandoned across the street from #331.

Modifications include the removal of the front and rear mud guards (fenders), and weld beads added in the correct areas of the entire vehicle using Evergreen styrene, Tamiya cement, and a Dremel tool. The model is painted with Tamiya acrylics in an ambush scheme, and has been finished and weathered with a combination of homemade filters and washes, and MIG pigments. The figures are finished with Vallejo acrylics and Archer transfers.

With this model, I attempted to set the hypothetical scene in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse on the morning of March 22, 1945. The Jagdtigers are positioned in strategic locations in the village awaiting orders for the day. Enjoying their morning coffee, the crew of #323 visits with a Feldgendarmerie, discussing the strategic situation, when the Jagdtiger commander realizes he has a little more than he bargained for with his sugar and cream...

Sunday, September 9, 2012

This is the Dragon "Smart Kit", painted in a 4:4:3 ratio of Tamiya Desert Yellow, Tamiya Dark Yellow, and Tamiya Deck Tan. The decals are from the kit, with the exception of the Afrika Korps logos which are from the Archer Dry Transfers range. Fruil tracks were used in place of the Dragon Magic Tracks. The model was weathered with a various combination of MIG filters, washes and pigments.

Finally, the figure is from Doug's Original and is finished in Vallejo acrylics.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The Panther tank was seen as a necessary component of Operation Zitadelle,
and the attack was delayed several times because of their mechanical
problems, with the eventual start date of the battle only six days after
the last Panthers had been delivered to the front. This resulted in
major problems in Panther units during the Battle of Kursk, as tactical training at the unit level, coordination by radio, and driver training were all seriously deficient.

It was not until June 23–29, 1943, that a total of 200 rebuilt
Panthers were finally issued to Panther Regiment von Lauchert, of the
XLVIII Panzer Corps (4 Panzer Army). Two were immediately lost due to
motor fires upon disembarking from the trains. By July 5, when the Battle of Kursk started, there were only 184 operational Panthers. Within two days, this had dropped to 40. On July 17, 1943 after Hitler had ordered a stop to the German offensive, Gen. Heinz Guderian sent in the following preliminary assessment of the Panthers:

Due to enemy action and mechanical breakdowns, the
combat strength sank rapidly during the first few days. By the evening
of 10 July there were only 10 operational Panthers in the front line. 25
Panthers had been lost as total writeoffs (23 were hit and burnt and
two had caught fire during the approach march). 100 Panthers were in
need of repair (56 were damaged by hits and mines and 44 by mechanical
breakdown). 60 percent of the mechanical breakdowns could be easily
repaired. Approximately 40 Panthers had already been repaired and were
on the way to the front. About 25 still had not been recovered by the
repair service ... On the evening of 11 July, 38 Panthers were operational, 31 were total writeoffs and 131 were in need of repair. A
slow increase in the combat strength is observable. The large number of
losses by hits (81 Panthers up to 10 July) attests to the heavy
fighting.

This is the 1/35 Dragon Panther D Premium kit, modeled to represent one of these brand new Panthers that was sent to the Kursk front, as it may have looked after only a few days off of the train. It is finished with Tamiya and Vallejo acrylics and sparingly weathered with MIG products. I have added a few mods from Tiger Designs (turret hatch and rear turret armor), and Fruil tracks.

Friday, August 17, 2012

A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire
in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and
condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their
legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the arena.
Most were despised as slaves, schooled under harsh conditions, socially
marginalized, and segregated even in death.

Irrespective of their origin, gladiators offered audiences an example
of Rome's martial ethics and, in fighting or dying well, they could
inspire admiration and popular acclaim. They were celebrated in high and
low art, and their value as entertainers was commemorated in precious
and commonplace objects throughout the Roman world. (Wikipedia)

This kit is the big scale, 75mm production by Alexandros Miniatures. Golden acrylics were used for all of the metal finishes on this figure. The ground work is Apoxie Sculpt and Games Workshop sand. The rest of the painting is completed with Vallejo acrylics.